Improvement in belt-couplings



,oi' any other suitable material.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

A. o. @..EATEBURN Y.ann A. M. ooMsrooK, oF, LYME, CONNECTICUT.-

)IMPROVEMENT IN 'BELT-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 4416.264. dated February 7, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we,vA. C. G. RATIIBURN and A. M. UoMsTooK, of Hamburg post-oice, lyme township, inthe county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Belt-Coupling; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionl thereof, which will tnable those skilledin the art to make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming partof this'v to admit the'ends of 'ehe belt-tobe coupled,

specification, in .whichhigure lis a longitudinal vertical section of this invention, the line x x, Fig. 2,"indicating the plane of section; Fig. 2 isa planv or top view of the same. .Figg'is a longitudinal section of a modification of the same.

Similar-letters of reierenceindicate like parts. This invention consists in the employment or use 'of a plate, provided with a slot, to' admit the ends of the belt to be coupled and 'with two toggle-jaws. in such a mannerlthat when the jaws are thrown open the ends of the belt can be easily passed up between them, and if the jaws are depressed after the ends of the beltV .have been adjusted they, clam p the same tight, without the use of rivets or any.lother fastening, and a belt-coupling is effected which leaves the inner or working surface of the belt perfectly iiat and intact.

A represents a plate, cast of brass or made lts'inner surface is slightly curved, so that the same will 'accommodate itself to the round surfaces of Vto the plate A by -ni sans of pivots c, as shown in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings, or the recess .may be Inade V.-shaped, to receive the V- shaped ends. of the jaws, as shown in Fig. l2. In either case said jaws can be thrown open and after said ends have been passed up the jaws are depressed, and they act as togglearms, clamping the belt `firmly between their inner edges, as-clearly shown in Fig. 3. The endsof the belt are thus firmly united without theuse of rivets or other fastenings. The belt remains perfectly'intact and retains its full strength. .The operation of coupling the v same can be performed in a very short time,

and the inner or working surface of the beltV remains smooth and even.

Having t'hns described our invention, we

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentrlhe plate A, provided withaslot, a, and operating,'in combination with' the toggle-jaws B,substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth. A. G. G. RATHBURN. A. M. COMSTOGK. Witnesses:

FREDERICK FosDIoK, H. L. GLADWIN. 

